隨著世界人口結構高齡化與服務經濟的轉型，在歐美和許多亞洲工業化國家，中高齡勞工就業成為一項重要勞動政策，維持社會經濟發展並緩解政府財政壓力。但是步入高齡者其社會處境與身心狀態經常有特殊的需要，如何使其在職場上能夠持續安全健康地工作，延長其發揮健康的生產力，在就業促進政策中應屬於核心的議題。然而台灣中高齡者的勞動參與率比起許多國家為低，對於中高齡勞動之社會分佈狀態與安全健康問題的討論也相當有限。本文彙整國內外相關議題之文獻與調查報告，發現台灣近30年來中高齡工作者的勞動參與率除45~49歲族群持續上升，年齡較長者反而下降，對比於民眾健康增進所提升的就業意願與需求，身心健康與工作需求的適配性，以及其所處環境、制度的設計與支援程度，將關鍵性影響台灣未來中高齡人力資源的開發。國際相關文獻指出，老化所帶來的生理、心理、社會面向改變具有相當大的個別差異，中高齡族群中，可能仍有許多身心能力和年輕人相當或差別不大者；雖然整體老化過程陸續會發生體能衰退，然隨著時間與經驗累積，在觀察、判斷、自我控制力等方面鍛鍊提升的心理素質是有助於因應職場的挑戰。為促進社會上中高齡者工作與就業的品質，健康福祉為必要一環，結合企業、社會團體、與中央、地方政府、衛生、勞工、社政等相關部門合力，改善對於中高齡友善之就業環境與條件，讓中高齡者能夠適才適所，使其知識、能力、經驗得以充分發揮。

Most societies of the industrialized world have an aging population and as a result are transitioning into service economies; the employment of middle-aged and older workers has become an important labor issue in Europe, the United States, and many industrialized countries in Asia. The main goal of any policy related to the employment of older people is to maintain economic growth and relieve the government of the financial burden unemployed older people create. However, middle-aged workers typically have special requirements based on their individual emotional needs as well as physical and social conditions. The main purpose of such policies should be to assure a reasonable employment policy exists which enables middle-aged workers to work continuously in a safe and healthy environment and be creative, healthy, and productive. However, the rate of employment among middle-aged people in Taiwan is lower than that of many other developed countries. Additionally, few systematic discussions have addressed how Taiwanese middle-aged and older workers interact socially with society and in the workplace or safety/health issues related to the employment of older people. Reviews of both the domestic and international literature and statistical data related to aging workers show that in Taiwan during the last 30 years, the participation rate in age group from 45–49 years in the labor market has increased slightly but such rates have declined in older groups of citizens. The common people of Taiwan have an increased need of employment because of a general improvement in their health as well as their ability to remain fit and healthy; this allows them to work at an older age. Redesigning the workplace environment and analyzing how workplace systems function in the presence of older workers would be critical for appropriate human resource development designed to assist an aging workforce; this will also benefit the future lifestyle and economy of Taiwan and its residents. Recent international literature has indicated the presence of potential and enormous differences in the physical, mental and social changes of individual accompanying the aging process. At the same time, large numbers of aging people will have nearly equal physical and mental capacity. Despite the gradual physical decline which occurs during chronological aging, some mature components of an individual’s mental ability and the training they have received during their life experiences give them improved abilities to observe and also give them sound judgment and self-control, which are beneficial for coping with workplace demands. , An analysis of health and well-being would be an essential part of any efforts to improve the quality of both work and the employment of an aging workforce. Enterprises, NGOs, and health/labor/social welfare departments of central/local government agencies should cooperate to improve aging-friendly work environments and work conditions; this will improve the possibilities of maintaining or even enhancing the knowledge, abilities and life experiences of aging workers as well as demonstrate their competence in the workplace.